Holiday Cheer
by winterhorses
Summary: Edward's in serious need of a little Christmas cheer this holiday season. Maybe he can find some at the bottom of a bottle at Carlisle's bar.
1. Chapter 1 - Christmas Cheer

"Woohoo, it's finally Christmas Eve! I've been waiting for this day for _months_. Everybody raise a glass with me to toast the day before Christmas!"

Edward thrusted his half-empty beer bottle in the air with such enthusiasm that he nearly slipped off his stool. He let out a quiet giggle over his clumsiness and then chugged down the rest of his drink.

"Hey bartender, over here!" he called upon noticing the unfortunate state of the bottle. "I need another drink, stat. This day's not gonna celebrate itself, you know."

A tall figure appeared in front of him on the other side of the bar. "What about the one you already have?"

"What about it? It's all gone, that's what. I want another one." Edward scowled at the blond-haired man. "Who the hell are you? Where'd the pretty girl go? I'm sure _she's_ smart enough to see that the beer in front of me is clearly… _whoa!_ How'd that happen? Are you trying to magic me or somethin'?" He narrowed his eyes and looked the man up and down. Abruptly, his expression brightened. "Hey, you're kinda pretty, too. For a dude, anyway."

The "dude" smirked as he pulled a towel from his back pocket and wiped a ring of condensation off the shiny wood surface of the bar. "Thanks, I think. And to answer your questions, I'm Carlisle, the owner of this fine establishment. The 'pretty girl' is one of my bartenders, and Bella is currently waiting on tables at the other end of the room. She wanted to get as far away from you as possible."

"What? Why?" Edward asked indignantly. "I'm the e-tip-o-me of…the e-pim-o-tee of… _fuck_ , I'm awesome."

"And sloshed. You didn't even realize that you were drinking your neighbor's beer."

Edward stared down at the full Sam Adams in front of him, then at the empty Corona in his hand, then at the mildly amused woman sitting to his right.

"Shit," he said, blushing undetectably due to his already red cheeks. "I'm really sorry about that. I didn't even realize—"

The blonde dismissed his apology with a wave of her hand. "Eh, don't worry about it. It was mostly backwash, anyway."

"Oh, well that's good." Edward tilted his head to study her, then broke into a wide smile. "Damn, girl, you're hot. Like, smokin' hot. I think we'd make some cute babies together." He paused as his eyes widened. "Babies? Fuck, it's _way_ too soon for that kinda talk. We should have a date first—maybe go out for drinks…wait... _oh my God_ , we're already at a bar and have our drinks! How perfect! Except…dammit…I just drank your drink. D'ya wanna take mine instead? I'm pretty sure it's backwash-free." Edward grabbed his beer and pushed it toward her, spilling a few drops on the bar in the process.

"Uh, no. Thanks anyway, but that one's all yours." She picked up her handbag and rose to her feet. "See ya, and good luck with the hangover you're going to have." After patting him lightly on the shoulder—anything harder and he surely would've toppled over—she nodded to Carlisle. "I'm gonna tell Bella goodbye and then head out. See you back at the house?"

He leaned over the bar to kiss her cheek. "Yep. Later, hon."

Edward watched their exchange with a horrified expression. After the woman walked away, he groaned and buried his head in his arms.

"Aw, dammit, man, I'm sorry. I just told your girl I wanted to have her babies." His words were muffled by his shirt sleeves. "That's all kinds of messed up."

Carlisle laughed heartily. "First of all, both Rose and I would love to see you try gestating children. And second, she's my sister who's visiting from out of town. Definitely _not_ my girl in that sense." He glanced around the room to make sure his employees had everything under control and then walked around the bar to sit in the seat his sister had just vacated.

"So, is something wrong, or do you make it a habit to get obliterated by yourself on a weeknight in a random bar?"

"S'not a habit," Edward mumbled, his head still mashed into his arms.

Carlisle waited, but when the other man didn't say anything further, he ventured a well-educated guess based on his decade of bar ownership.

"Relationship problems, huh? That can drive even the best people to drink. Only trouble with drowning your sorrows is that you still have to deal with them the next day, and with a headache to boot."

His desolate customer still didn't respond, but Carlisle was patient.

After a few minutes of silence, Edward reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. He tossed it onto tabletop without bothering to look where it landed.

"Ah," Carlisle murmured. "I can imagine a number of scenarios involving what this likely represents, but based on the distilled alcohol currently seeping out of your pores, I'm guessing yours wasn't the one you wanted." He tapped the box with a single finger and shook his head in sympathy. "Did it happen before or after you gave this?"

Edward made a low grunting sound, one that was full of pain and heartache. But he didn't give any further clues regarding the cause. Still, Carlisle continued to wait without saying anything. He knew there was a fine line between gentle probing and pushing too hard.

And then, in one rushing deluge, the words came.

"It was gonna be tonight, at midnight, right at the beginning of Christmas. I had it all planned out: a fancy dinner, a carriage ride in the park, drinks in front of the fireplace. It was gonna be perfect. Fucking perfect. But when I left work early today…or yesterday…or whatever…I fucking came home to find some other fucker fucking my ex-almost-fiancé in my fucking bed. How fucking wonderful is _that?_ Fucking wonderfully wonderful is what it is. And so, instead of all those Christmas Eve-y proposal-y things I was gonna fucking do, I guess I'm just gonna sit here on this fucking stool and drink the whole goddamned fucking day away."

By the time he finished ranting, Edward had not only pulled his head out of his arms to sit up but was also spinning drunkenly on his seat with his arms flailing about in the air. Carlisle jumped up and steadied him just as he began to slip off.

"As much fun as that sounds," Carlisle said, holding Edward by his shoulders, "I close in an hour. I think the best thing for you would be to head home and get some sleep. Sit tight, and I'll call you a—"

"No!" Edward cried. "I can't go to sleep! I can't go home and see _that_ bed right now. I just can't. You can't make me!"

"What about your couch, then? Or maybe a friend's couch?"

"Everybody is either at their parents' or with their families. I'm not gonna screw up their cheery holiday with my shitty problems." Edward jerked away from Carlisle and threw himself over the top of the bar stool. He wrapped his arms around the wooden legs. "I just wanna stay right here, with my chair. Can I, please? Just leave me here when you close. I promise I'll be good and not drink all your beer."

Carlisle did his best not to chuckle, even though the sight at the tall young man holding tightly onto the stool as if it might try to walk away was pretty damned chuckle-worthy.

"Sorry, kiddo, but I can't let you do that," Carlisle told him instead. "And I'm also sorry that all this happened to you. Excuse me for saying so, but your ex sounds like a Grade A piece of shit."

Edward huffed. "Yeah, he sure is…I mean, my _ex_ sure is…fuck…" He lifted his head to peek at Carlisle, his face redder than ever due to its recent upside down orientation. "Whatever. I said it. My ex is a guy, and I'm a guy, but apparently, I was too much of a pussy to keep him satisfied. So…go ahead, judge away."

"Hey, that's not fair to either of us," Carlisle replied sternly. "Or to pussies, for that matter. Don't you dare put yourself down when he's the shitstick in this situation. And as far as everything else goes, I'm not going to make any judgments…other than me thinking you've had enough to drink for the night and should go sleep it off."

"Well _duh_ ," Edward retorted, letting his head fall back down so that he was making a U-shape over the bar stool again. "I wanna sleep right here, but you're being a jerk. Maybe I'll just do it anyway. You'll have to call the cops to get me to leave, and even if they take me jail, at least I won't have to go back to my apartment."

"You really don't want to go back there, huh?" Carlisle asked, mostly to himself.

Edward just grabbed onto stool more tightly than ever.

"Hey, Bella, c'mere" Carlisle called out over the din of the room.

The brunette cut her way through the tables and approached her boss with a wary expression.

"What's up? You want me to call this one a cab?" she asked, her nose wrinkling up in distaste.

"No, I'll take care of him. But I'd like you to close up tonight. Go ahead and have Jake shut down the kitchen now so he can give you and Alice a hand."

"Sure thing," she said, still eyeing the doubled-over figure and his adopted bar stool. "Just promise to be careful. You hardly know anything about him."

"I know enough," he reassured her with a smirk. "And I still have that can of Mace your dad gave me."

"Yeah, like _you'd_ need something like that," Bella scoffed. After shaking her head at both Carlisle and Edward, she stood up on her tiptoes to peck the blond man on the cheek. "Text me in the morning so I know he didn't chop you into tiny pieces or something."

"Fuck, I don't feel so good." Edward groaned and clutched his head with both hands as the brunette walked back to her tables. "What was she talking about, anyway? You're gonna get chopped up? Gross."

"Bella and I look out for each other, and right now, she's not happy that I'm letting a drunk stranger crash on my couch."

"I don't blame her. That's a pretty dumb thing to do."

"Yeah, probably. Now let's go," Carlisle said, patting Edward on the back. "You've got a date with a couch."

"Who, me? _I'm_ the drunk stranger?" Edward made a growling sound and tilted his head enough that he could shoot a one-eyed glare at Carlisle. "I told ya, I'm staying right here."

"No, you're not. Don't make me carry you upstairs."

"Pfft, I'd like to see you try."

The words had barely passed his lips before he was in Carlisle arms, bar stool and all.

"Whoa," Edward whispered, his eyes wide. "You're, like, really strong." He was so shocked he didn't even hear the whistles and catcalls as he was carried out of the customers' area and through a hallway in the back of the bar.

"I do alright," Carlisle allowed with a furtive grin. "Of course, you're not the first man I've held up in one position or another for an extended period of time."

It took Edward a few moments for the subtle inference to filter through his alcoholic haze, but when it finally did…

"Holy fuck _me_ —are you…too?"

He ducked his head, suddenly aware of just how much of him was pressed against the bar owner named Carlisle.

The really strong, really _hot_ bar owner named Carlisle, who stopped his ascent up a narrow staircase and nodded in response to Edward's vaguely formed question.

"Yes, I'm gay, but that's an irrelevant detail as far as I'm concerned. I'm loaning you a couch for the night, nothing more or less. Of course, if you're not comfortable with that, we can go back downstairs and get you in a cab."

"No, no, it's okay, I'm fine with it," Edward said quickly. "You can keep going."

Carlisle was quiet for a moment and then let out a soft snort of amusement. "I'm glad you're being a little more reasonable. Here, let me put you down so I can—"

"But…but I'm feeling all light-headed and wobbly," Edward protested. "I don't wanna fall down the steps, especially with my stool. It might get hurt."

The tone of his voice had a touch of whine to it—just enough to be cute without being too annoying. Carlisle rolled his eyes.

"Fine, but you're walking after we get to the top."

Edward turned his head and smiled into a nicely firm chest as he enjoyed the rest of his short ride up the stairs.

Carlisle's two-bedroom apartment above the bar was small but comfortable. Edward tried to take it all in, but he actually did feel rather light-headed and wobbly. His eyes kept closing without permission as he stumbled to the blurry beige blob he assumed was the couch. A pillow and blanket seemed to materialize out of thin air when he plopped down on the plush cushions. He grabbed at them as if they were pieces of manna falling from heaven.

"Aw, hell, this feels _so_ good," Edward slurred, his tension melting away and taking much of the day's shittiness with it. "And _I_ feel so much better…thanks to you, Carlisle. Your beautiful bar gave me lots of beautiful beer, and I made friends with the best bar stool _ever_." He blindly reached out a hand to pat the wooden piece of furniture standing watch by his head. "You and Bar Stool are way nicer to me than stupid _Felix_ , that fucker-fucking fucker. What the hell kind of dumb name is 'Felix,' anyway? Well, it's dumb on him, at least. Every time I say his name, I think of that happy black cartoon cat, but he isn't black or cartoon or cat. And he's not always happy…though he seemed pretty damned happy this afternoon—you know, when his lily-white fucker-fucking pickle dick was fucking that other fucker. And in my fucking bed!" Edward yawned widely and pulled the blanket closer around him. "Now I hate my bed. But I like your couch, Carlisle. Huh. _Carlisle._ That's another weird name. But still way better than Felix. _You're_ way better than Felix. I like your eyes. Did you know they're blue? I like blue…it's the color of the ocean…and the sky…mine are green…like grass and leaves…if we put our eyes together…they could be a planet…"

Carlisle, who'd been highly entertained by the drunken monologue, could tell Edward was fading fast. He leaned over the limp form, poked two Advil between a set of chapped lips, and then stuffed a straw in the resultant opening.

"Drink," he commanded.

Edward dutifully complied. "Cheers," he mumbled into his pillow after the tablets had been swallowed.

"Cheers," Carlisle replied in a soft voice as he smiled down at the young man who'd had a hell of a day. Unable to stop himself, he brushed a few errant strands of hair off Edward's forehead before straightening up. "And merry Christmas Eve."

Edward's mouth turned up at the corners.

"It wasn't going to be, but it is now," he sighed and then fell fast sleep.

* * *

 **A little cathartic somethin' somethin' for me.**

 **Merry Christmas!**


	2. Chapter 2 - New Year Celebration

**New Year's Celebration**

* * *

"Aw, come on, just one more. It's New Year's Eve!"

Edward ducked away from Emmett's drunken attempt to smack him on the shoulder and shook his head.

"No way, I'm the DD tonight, and it's cutoff time for me. Besides, someone's gotta take care of your wasted asses."

"Whoa, hey. No one's going near my ass," Jasper declared after slamming a shot of Jagermeister.

Emmett laughed and reached for his beer. "No worries about that with our boy Edward. I'm pretty sure he likes being a receiver over playing quarterback."

"Jesus, Em! Say it a little louder, why don't you?" Edward muttered, glaring at his friend. He'd been out for years and wasn't ashamed of his sexuality but didn't think the whole bar needed to hear about it.

"Oh, calm your tits, Eddie. We don't care how you roll. And who knows? Maybe we'll find you a hot rebound tonight to get your mind off the loser ex."

"I don't need a rebound to get over him," Edward growled. "Maybe you should worry about your own pathetic love life instead of mine—I already told you I'm okay."

Emmett blinked at him as if stunned, but Jasper laughed good-naturedly.

"The man's got a point." He raised another shot of Jager. "To a better love life in 2016!"

"Well fuck, I'll drink to that," Emmett said as he clinked his beer bottle against the shot glass. He looked at his more sober friend. "Don't leave us hangin', Ed. Pick up your sad little cup o' water and get in here. We need all the luck we can get."

Edward rolled his eyes but complied with Emmett's request. For all their annoying tendencies, he knew both Emmett and Jasper only wanted him to be happy.

Which he currently wasn't.

He'd straight up lied about being okay, and they knew it. A week had passed since "The Discovery," and Edward felt more miserable and confused than ever. He couldn't figure out why he hadn't been enough for Felix…or how he'd managed to stay so clueless about it through their 18-month relationship. Felix swore it only happened that one time and pleaded for another chance, but Edward had lost all trust in his former flame—both in his words and his actions. He tossed the first two flower arrangements that showed up at his apartment and refused delivery of the other three.

Once bitten, twice shy and all that…

It was those same misgivings that had caused Edward to flee from Carlisle's house before the sun was up the morning of Christmas Eve.

Yes, there'd been a healthy dose of shame over his inebriated ranting and general stupidity earlier that evening, but at the heart of the matter, Edward ran because he was scared. He didn't know if the connection he'd felt with the hot blond bar owner was genuine or just a figment of his then drunken mind. Carlisle had acted so concerned for his well-being and had taken care of him so perfectly, with just the right balance of firm authority and warm patience, that he seemed too good to be true. Edward couldn't figure out what it meant that this man, a complete stranger, made him feel safe and valued in a way Felix never had. What did it say about his understanding of life and love that he'd been ready to pledge his life to such an unknowingly bereft relationship?

The first inklings of this revelation began to creep into his addled brain when he woke up blinking in the dark on an unfamiliar couch, and it was simply too much for his newly destroyed heart to handle. Like a hurt animal, Edward just wanted to crawl off into a dark hole somewhere to lick his wounds and wallow in the pain of his miserable state.

And that's exactly what he'd been doing for days until Emmett and Jasper all but busted down his door, threw him in the shower, and dragged him out for a night in the city to celebrate New Year's Eve.

Despite his every intention otherwise, Edward was actually having a decent time. He couldn't completely escape the pulsing ache of his battered soul, but at least the pain wasn't consuming him as it had all week. His friends were pretty good when it came to distracting him.

Case in point: Emmett was trying and failing to spin a beer bottle on the table with his nose.

"What the hell are you doing?" Edward asked, flicking a shelled peanut at the side of Emmett's head.

"What does it look like? Christ, I'm bored." Emmett sat up and made a few uncoordinated attempts to grab his jacket. "Let's go somewhere else. I don't wanna be here at midnight. All the hot chicks are taken. No way I'm not getting my damn New Year's kiss."

"I'm with ya on that," Jasper agreed. "We seriously need a change of scenery. Hey, how about that Irish bar on Main Street? It's putting on a special New Year's thing with a live band and dancing and free appetizers. Cover's a little steep, but it should be a good time with a fun crowd."

"Oh yeah, I heard some people from work talking about it. What's it called? Callem's…Colon's…"

"Not _Colon's_ , you dumbass," Jasper said with a laugh. "It's _Cullen's_. Cullen's Irish Pub  & Restaurant."

Edward, who hadn't been paying much attention as they exited, froze in place at the mention of the other bar's name. Concentrating on walking without swaying too much, Emmett didn't notice Edward's pause, but Jasper was much more perceptive, even on an alcohol-induced high.

"You alright? Do you not wanna go there?"

Edward most certainly did _not_ want to return to the place where he'd made such an idiot of himself, but wasn't up to explaining why. Feeling the rise of panic in his chest, he tried to come up with a good reason to skip Cullen's before his friends started asking questions he didn't want to answer. Not yet.

"I heard the food sucks there," he blurted out. "And…I bet it's already full…we'd have to take a cab since I probably shouldn't drive yet, and, um…"

"What—Mr. Trust Fund Baby can't afford a few bucks for fare?" Emmett boomed, stopping to poke a finger in Edward's chest. "Fine. If you're gonna be such a damned Scrooge—haha, get it…Scrooge, Christmas?—I'll pay. Jasper says all the hot women are at Cullen's, so that's where we're going, dammit." He frowned for a second and then poked Edward again. "And I'm sure there's a big, beefy dude for you, too. _All_ of us are gettin' our midnight kisses, even if I have to give it to you myself."

Edward wasn't sure whether to smile at his friend's caring intentions or cringe at the thought of kissing Emmett. Sure, the man was good-looking and buff, but his body type reminded him too much of Felix. At the moment, Edward was more attracted to a leaner kind of man…one with deceptively strong muscles…and lighter hair…and bluer eyes…

 _Fuck._

Carlisle was sure to be at the pub, and Edward couldn't bear seeing him again—not after he'd humiliated himself and taken off without even a note to say 'thank you' for all the help and kindness. And especially not after he'd had several confusing dreams over the previous week featuring the two of them in _very_ interesting situations, most involving little to no clothes and his California king-sized bed.

Even if he hadn't screwed up so royally with Carlisle, both his head and his heart were in no shape to let anyone in.

Even if he really wanted to.

Edward was still trying to come up with a convincing argument for going elsewhere when Emmett grabbed his arm and pulled him toward a slowing cab. He was being stuffed into the backseat even before the car rolled to a complete stop.

"Hey, my man, how's it going?" Emmett called out to the driver. "Can you take us to Cullen's Pub on Main?"

The ride wouldn't take long, so Edward had to hurry if he wanted to make one last attempt to change their minds.

"Uh, what if we go back to my place? I've got plenty to eat and drink, and…hell…I'll even hire some strippers for you."

Emmett looked intrigued, but Jasper was suspicious. "I'm not gonna ask how you'd manage to make that happen at 10 p.m. on New Year's Eve. What I _do_ want to know is why you're trying so hard to stay away from this one particular bar. Is Felix going to be there or something?"

"Yes!" Edward exclaimed, latching onto the perfect ready-made excuse like a drowning man to a life preserver. "He'd mentioned it to me a while ago, and I don't want to risk running into him."

"Naw, don't you see? That's _perfect_ ," Emmett enthused. "You go in there like you don't give a damn and you have a fuckin' epic time with your bros. Hit the dance floor and flirt with some hot dudes. Show him you're better off without his sorry ass dragging you down."

"But I—"

Emmett stuck his fingers in his ears. "Nope, don't wanna hear it. Cullen's is where we need to be tonight. End of conversation."

Knowing that his friend's mind was made up, Edward didn't bother saying anything else. His only option was to ditch the guys and renege on his promise to act as DD—which really wasn't an option for him at all. Unlike some people he knew—one person in particular sprang to mind—Edward Masen was trustworthy and loyal.

But when the three of them stepped out of the cab in front of Cullen's, Edward felt hopeful that he might not have a problem, after all.

"Aw, crap," Emmett groused, glaring at the long line of people waiting on the sidewalk. "We shoulda came here first." He shook his fist at the sky. "Damn you, Obama!"

Jasper rolled his eyes at his friend's theatrics and then looked down the street. "Let's go this way. If we can't find a place in the city to help us drown our sorrows, we'll just take E up on his stripper offer."

"Fine, but I still say there's a conspiracy at work here," Emmett grumbled as he moved aside to let a group of girls go by. "The bars in this city are colluding with the government to make sure I don't get my effin' kiss. In fact, I think—"

"Well, well, look who we have here."

One of the girls who just passed had turned around and was now sending a sharp-eyed smirk in their direction. She seemed to be focusing on Edward, who needed a few seconds to figure out why she looked so familiar. When recognition finally set in, his heart began to thud in his chest.

It was Rosalie.

Carlisle's sister.

"I heard about the disappearing act you pulled last week. Very classy," she said, raising her eyebrow. "He was worried about you…although why, I have no idea."

Emmett looked back and forth between the two and came to a quick, albeit wrong, conclusion. He took a step toward the girls.

"Listen here, lady, I don't know what that douche told you, but the truth is that he treated Edward like shit. The only thing that fucker should be worried about is how bad I'm gonna fuck him up if he says one word to us tonight."

" _Excuse_ me?" Rosalie bristled menacingly. "The douche in this situation is you, and if you even _think_ of going near my brother—"

"Felix is your brother?" Emmett asked, confused.

"Who the hell is Felix? And what do either of you two idiots have to do with this?"

"Hold up!" Edward interrupted, putting himself between Emmett and the fiery-eyed blonde. He turned to his friend. "She wasn't talking about Felix. It was…someone else."

"Someone else?" Emmett echoed. "Who?"

"I, uh…it's kind of a long story, so maybe I should save it for later. Maybe after you've had a couple more beers or...something…"

Rosalie snorted in wry amusement. "Well, he'd better get started on those drinks since I'm interested in hearing you tell this _long story_ , including the part where you were shit-faced and stole my drink."

"Uh, as much fun as that sounds, I think you'll have to take a rain check," Edward said quickly, his relief barely disguised. "Since the pub's full, we're still looking for a place to watch the ball drop, so we should probably get going…"

"Oh, I'm sure there's room for a few more in there. Come on." She glanced at her two female companions and began walking toward the entrance.

"Really?" Jasper asked eagerly, tripping after her. "You can get us in?"

Rosalie didn't answer him but instead gave the bouncer a bright smile. "Hey Jared. These guys are with me."

The tall man nodded dispassionately at the group as they filed through the door. Edward walked as slowly as possible until he couldn't put it off any longer. Taking a deep breath, he curled his hands into fists, ignored his nerves, and stepped inside.

The pub area was not as brightly lit as last time, although the colored patterns from a light machine in the main restaurant portion did give the place a sort of festive club vibe. The tables there had been pushed against the walls to make space for a dance floor that was packed with moving bodies. Edward struggled against the desire to dive into the middle of the throng and hide.

Almost immediately, Rosalie's friends spied a group of people they knew and made their way to the bar. Jasper's eyes followed longingly after them. Any hopes Edward had of Rosalie also joining that group were dashed when she headed toward an empty table marked "Reserved" and took a seat.

"That was Tanya and Jessica," she said with a sly grin. "They're both high-maintenance bitches, but ones who are surprisingly open to having one-night stands with random guys. I can introduce you later if you're interested…"

Jasper looked like he might indeed be interested, but Emmett only had eyes for Rosalie.

"I like more of a _challenge_ ," he purred, giving her a suggestive smirk. "By the way, this is Jasper Whitlock, and I'm Emmett McCarty. Seems like you've already met Edward." He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. "I'm _very_ pleased to meet you."

She accepted his overdone attention with grace. "And I'm Rosalie. Are you enjoying your New Year's Eve so far?"

"Well, to tell the truth, we weren't until a few minutes ago…"

As she, Emmett, and Jasper touched on the basics in Getting-to-Know-New-Acquaintances 101, Edward covertly scanned the room. The number of people made it difficult to get any clear lines of sight, but he was happy about that. If he couldn't see Carlisle anywhere, then maybe Carlisle wouldn't be able to see—

"Shit," Edward hissed, hunkering down in his chair. The man he was both excited and scared shitless to see had just appeared behind the bar.

"What's up, E?" Jasper asked, frowning in concern. "Is it Felix?"

Both he and Emmett swiveled their heads, trying to spot Edward's ex, but Rosalie immediately zeroed in on the cause of his anxiety. She sighed and then leaned in closer to Edward.

"What, you're not even gonna talk to him?" she asked quietly enough that his friends couldn't hear. "I mean, it's not like he expects an explanation, but you should at least let him know you're still alive. He actually checked the news to make sure you hadn't stumbled into a dark alley after you left and gotten mugged or killed or whatever."

Edward dropped his head into his hands. "God, I'm turning into such a fuck up," he groaned. "I swear I don't usually do stuff like that, it's just…ugh. The thing with my ex has pretty much wrecked me."

"The ex…Felix, I'm guessing?"

"What, you see him?" Jasper asked, still surveying the crowd.

"No, he's not here," Edward said, his eyes still covered by the heels of his palms. He sighed heavily. "My issues tonight aren't really about him…not directly, anyway. Remember when I told you I stayed in the city the night after I caught Felix cheating? Well, it's true that I did, but not at a hotel like I let you think."

"Where the fuck did you go then? Why didn't you crash at one of our places?" Emmett asked.

"I dunno. I guess I felt so stupid and embarrassed that I didn't want to see anyone I knew. Instead, I jumped onto a train, got off at a random stop, and ended up here, where I started drinking myself into oblivion. I was really hard up, and if I hadn't gotten help…"

"From Rosalie?" Jasper asked, his voice sympathetic.

"Ha," Edward grunted wryly. "How I met Rosalie really is a story for later…much later. Or possibly never. No, the person who helped me up, figuratively and literally, when I was most down was—"

"Carlisle, hey!" Rosalie interrupted loudly in warning. "Happy New Year!"

Edward's head whipped up to see the tall, blond-haired man striding toward their table with an easy smile on his lips. Though his stomach churned from a slew of jumbled emotions, he forced himself not hide his face from the warmth of those expressive blue eyes.

"There you are, Rose. I was wondering when you were going to show up tonight," Carlisle said, returning the hug his sister stood up to give him. "But I see now that you were busy making new friends." He turned to Jasper, who was sitting to Rosalie's right. "Carlisle Cullen," he stated as they shook hands. "Nice to meet you."

Edward ignored the pointed glances from Rosalie as the rest of the introductions were made. When Carlisle stepped in his direction, he could see a flash of expectancy cross the face of the bar owner, who seemed to be looking to him to lead their interaction. Edward then realized Carlisle was thoughtfully letting him define the nature of their…acquaintance?...to his friends.

And once again, Edward was touched by Carlisle's consideration of a person he barely knew and certainly owed nothing to. A sudden spark of adoration compelled him rest a hand on the firm shoulder, lean in, and place a soft, somewhat shy kiss on Carlisle's cheek.

"Thank you for everything that night," he murmured close to the other man's ear. "I'm sorry I panicked and ran off without telling you anything."

When Carlisle gently squeezed his arm in unspoken acceptance and support, Edward felt a huge burden lift from his shoulders—one whose oppressive weight he'd underestimated until it was finally gone. In fact, compared to his mood of the past week, he was practically giddy from the light feeling in his soul.

Edward didn't even let the incredulous expressions of his two friends damper his spirits. He turned to them with a grin on his face.

"As I'd been about to say, Carlisle here was the one who took care of me and kept me from doing anything too stupid, like passing out drunk in a dumpster or running off to Vegas with a bar stool. He was my guardian angel that night."

The wrinkles in Emmett's brow were so deep he probably could've held up a coin between them. "Hold on…go back to the bar stool part. Is that some kind of slang I don't know, or…?"

Carlisle chuckled. "No, he means an actual wooden bar stool—one that's been pining away for you in my apartment, by the way," he said, smirking at Edward.

The younger man felt a flutter in his stomach but surprised himself by boldly returning Carlisle's grin with a sly smile of his own. "Are you sure you were talking about the _bar stool_? Or could it have been something…maybe _someone_ else who missed me, hmm?"

Blue eyes darkened slightly with rising desire and cautious hope as they studied him. Edward couldn't look away even if he had wanted to; Carlisle's open, earnest gaze both tickled his skin and pierced through to the core of his being, holding him fast.

"Oh my God, I _love_ this song! Emmett, come dance with me. And Jasper, uh, you can, um…oh, here! This is another one of my friends, and she loves this song, too. Alice, meet Jasper. He's just _dying_ to hit the dance floor."

Carlisle barely noticed when Rosalie pushed three surprised people away from the table and into the crowd of swaying bodies. The music of the live band, layered over the buzz of numerous conversations, faded into the background of his mind. He even forgot about his interest in the success of the bar— _his_ bar—during one of the most financially lucrative events of the year.

The only thing Carlisle could seem to concentrate on was just how deep and clear Edward's green eyes were without the effects of an alcohol-induced haze. He could see numerous emotions swirling in their midst and longed to discover the reasons for each one.

But as much as his hands, his body, his heart itched to take the young man in his arms and settle him on his lap for a long talk, he knew such a direct approach, like the one he took on Christmas Eve, wasn't the right choice now. No longer in immediate danger, Edward needed to begin the process of regaining the confidence Felix had stripped away with his deceitful actions. Carlisle detected the raw vulnerability underneath Edward's show of bravado and knew that control over decisions would help lessen it. He'd let Edward call the shots as much as possible in the early stages of whatever relationship developed between them.

So, Carlisle kept his hands to himself and simply gestured to the seats around the table, hoping that Edward would accept the invitation.

He did.

And they began to talk.

Edward first wanted to explain his actions the previous week. Forcing aside the bitter pain, he gave a hesitant but more detailed recount of his ex-boyfriend's betrayal. Carlisle did his best to stifle outward signs of the anger and, yes, the irrational jealousy he felt over Felix and his callous disregard of the precious gifts Edward had so generously given—his trust and his love. The bar owner hid his clenched fists under the table and took deliberate, slow breaths to keep from growling when he heard about the repeated attempts to win Edward back.

But in the end, the younger man still noticed.

Then looked away with a small, secret smile.

Edward felt both proud and humbled to have caught the attention of such an amazing man. And he fully intended to keep it for a while.

Conversation eventually shifted to much lighter topics. He learned a little about Carlisle's background and shared some of his own. A few rather sordid jokes were told, and Edward's cheeky side made an appearance. Each man was caught on more than one occasion sneaking an appraising glance at the other's body. The two were so engrossed in a private bubble of their making that they didn't realize the noise level in the room had been rising until they were nearly on top of one another, speaking in loud voices to be heard over the racket.

"Shit," Edward said with a sudden gasp, sitting back in his chair to stare at one of the several TV screens tuned to New Year's Eve festivities. "There's less than a minute left until midnight."

Standing to get a better view of the crowd, he searched for his friends. It didn't take very long to find them, despite the packed dance floor. Jasper's tall frame leaned into a wall only a few yards away. Based on the shapely pair of legs wrapped tightly around his waist, Edward guessed the night had gone alright for him. Emmett appeared just as well off, with his mouth firmly attached to Rosalie's and her hands clawing up and down his back under his shirt.

Edward was about to turn away when the heated presence of a body pulled him back into that all-encompassing bubble.

"Looks like Emmett and Jasper are all set for their New Year's kisses," Carlisle murmured as his hands reached for Edward's hips and guided him down to his seat. "What about you? Is there anyone in particular that _you'd_ like to kiss?"

Edward's insides quivered at the light brush of fingertips across his knee. Before Carlisle's hand could move very far away, he caught and held it on his thigh.

"Well, there might be," he demurred with a coy smile, "but I'm not sure if he's interested."

"Oh, he's interested alright." Carlisle moved back enough that he could look Edward in the eyes as the people in the room began their final countdown. "He's _very_ interested in the generous, passionate, _beautiful_ person you are—inside and out. And he wants… _I_ want...to kiss you so badly it hurts. Is that…okay?"

Edward sucked in a quick breath and nodded, his body pulsing with excitement. Carlisle moved slowly, almost painfully so, until his lips were only a whisper away from Edward's. The hunger, the desire, the _need_ between them grew in intensity along with the volume of the feverish crowd's shouts.

And then it was time.

"Three…two…one…Happy New Year!"

And then it happened.

A soft connection of their mouths. A gasp of surprise. Carlisle's near impossible restraint during the beat of time Edward needed to recognize the barbed curtain of fear in his heart, push past it, and move his lips with budding confidence. A slow, exploring cadence that drove Edward to the limits of his control.

He had to have more. He felt as if he would starve without it.

"Please," he breathed, his fingers tightening around Carlisle's.

He felt the upturn of Carlisle's mouth against his and the strong hand moving to cup his neck, holding him steady. The groan that built in his throat turned into a desperate whimper when a tongue pushed his lips apart and slid past them, probing, reaching, stroking. Edward gave himself over to the sensation, letting it fill him up and carry him away.

He knew then that he could spend forever touching and tasting this man.

But after several minutes of fervid bliss, reality made its bothersome presence known in the form of a cold splash from a drink accidentally spilled on the floor. Carlisle and Edward broke apart, chests heaving, eyes wild, blood racing. Despite sodden pant legs, neither bothered to look down and assess the extent of the mess, but instead stared at each other in wonder.

Carlisle was the first to recapture a semblance of composure. His throaty chuckle was full of awe and delight.

"Well, this has turned out to be one of the best New Years I've ever had," he confessed. "I'm so glad you decided to come out tonight."

"So am I," Edward agreed with feeling. His green eyes glittered in the flashes of light from the dance floor. "After I left your place last week, I was sure the year would begin just as badly as it ended. I couldn't think of anything worth getting excited about."

He smiled and leaned forward while tugging at Carlisle's hands to bring him closer. Edward pressed a soft kiss on the other man's lips and then dragged his mouth along the angular jaw until his nose tickled the hair at Carlisle's temple.

"All I wanted to to was survive the night, just get it over with. But now, everything's different," he murmured, his voice full of hope and promise, "Now, I have a reason to celebrate."

* * *

 **I might keep up the Holiday theme and revisit these two for Valentine's Day. We'll see...**


	3. Chapter 3 - Be My Valentine

**Be My Valentine**

* * *

"Valentine's Day sucks," Edward grumbled as he sat heavily on the chair.

"Your whining sucks," the brunette shot back, placing a bottle of Yuengling on the table in front of him. "Are you going to be hanging around long? 'Cuz if so, I'm having Heidi take over your table."

"Oh, good God, no," he moaned. "That woman refuses to accept the truth. What part of 'I like men' doesn't she understand?"

Bella pinched his cheek between her fingers and ruffled his hair. "We females just can't help ourselves around your dazzling prettiness. You're the genetic equivalent of magnetic north to our ovaries."

"Quit it," he grumbled, smacking her hand away. "On second thought, maybe I'd rather deal with Heidi."

"Whatever, you love me," Bella replied with a smirk. She pulled out a chair and joined him at the table.

Quirking an eyebrow, Edward glanced around the busy pub. "Sitting down on the job? You'd better hope the manager doesn't see you."

Bella let out a sardonic snort and brushed imaginary dust off her nametag. "Yeah, I hear that girl's a major bitch." She nudged his shoe with her toe. "By the way, you sounded great tonight on the guitar. Thanks again for helping me out."

He shrugged noncommittally. "No problem. It's not like I had anything else to do."

"Well, I still appreciate you stepping in at the last minute to cover for the sick guy. And so does Carlisle, as I'm sure you know."

Edward's frown deepened. "I'm trying my best not to think about him right now."

"Hey, come on." She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I know life hasn't exactly been roses for either of you lately, but you got through it together." Grimacing, Bella huffed a gust of air out through her nose. "Well, not actually _together_ together, like, in the physical sense, but you know what I mean. Anyway, my point is that it's almost over. He'll be back in two days, so you can still have a Valentine's date with him—it'll just be a little later than usual."

"I know, I know," he replied, trying to pull his pouty lower lip back in. "Sorry for the shit attitude. I'd planned on staying in tonight so I wouldn't have to see all the happy couples being all happy and…couple-y. But you're right; it's almost over. Just ignore the whiny brat behind the curtain. I think I'm PMSing or something."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Uh huh. I'm sure that's what it is and not your actual stellar personality shining through. It's a good thing Carlisle has the patience of a saint."

"Don't you have some people to manage or small children to scare?" Edward muttered, doing his best to hide his grin behind the bottle in his hand.

After leveling a playful glare at him, she stood and smoothed out her clothes. "Alright, I'm going, but you'd better not sit here and try to drink your sorrows away. Unlike Carlisle, I have no problem leaving you passed out over a bar stool when I close up."

Edward smiled wistfully as Bella walked away. The events of the night he first stumbled into Cullen's Irish Pub were hazy in his memory, but he'd since heard all about them from Bella, Rosalie, and, of course, Carlisle. And though he hated the circumstances that led to him getting drunk off his ass and needing help from a complete stranger, the embarrassing debacle set the stage for him later making several new friends…including one he'd fallen pretty damned hard for.

Yes, he could see all the potential problems with jumping headfirst into another serious relationship so soon after having his heart destroyed, but his feelings for Carlisle were growing too strong to ignore. They'd been talking almost every day, and each time, he discovered something new to love about the man.

 _Love_.

Was it possible he loved Carlisle already? His head said no, but his heart seemed to have other ideas. It sped up anytime Edward thought about him and threatened to beat out of his chest whenever they discussed seeing each other again. He was actually a little worried what it might do when they were finally able to move forward with their physical relationship.

There was a good chance he'd survive it, though. He happened to know from personal experience that Carlisle was talented in giving mouth-to-mouth.

"Still hoping I'll change my mind? Sorry, Masen, I just don't feel that way about you."

Edward looked up at the tall figure approaching his table and grinned. "I refuse to give up on us. One of these days, you'll see the light."

"Not gonna happen, but go ahead and think that if it makes you feel better." Jacob Black set a plate on the table and took a seat. "Although nothin' says love like my beer-battered fish and chips."

"No argument here," Edward replied, eagerly reaching for a fry. "What's with the personal delivery, by the way? Leah kick you out of the kitchen again?"

" _No_ ," Jake growled. "I just came to say hi, but if you're gonna be an asshole…"

"You're such a crappy liar. I know Bella sent you out here to annoy me so I'd stop moping over being alone for Valentine's Day."

"Is it working?"

"Well, you've got the annoying part down." Edward wiped off his fingers and sat back in his chair. "Seriously, though…I'm okay. Sure, I wish he was here and that the last six weeks hadn't been such a shit storm of epic proportions, but in the grand scheme of things, we're okay. _I'm_ okay."

"I guess…" Jake said in a dubious voice.

Edward sighed as he thought back to New Year's Day, when Carlisle got the call from England. His uncle, Thomas, had been in a bad car accident and wasn't predicted to survive. When his Aunt Jane arrived at the hospital, she discovered that not only had Thomas lost his job just before Christmas, he'd also wasted most of their life savings on bad investments. Jane was an older, unemployed woman with disabilities, and she was having a difficult time handling the situation.

Carlisle, being the caring and compassionate person he was, booked the first flight available.

Though they were just getting to know each other at the time, Edward was very tempted to throw caution to the wind and go with him. Once he'd made the important decision to risk his heart again, his more impulsive side tried to take control. It required an enormous amount of willpower to drive his car away from the airport when he dropped off Carlisle, who promised to call as soon as he could.

The number on his caller ID the next day surprised him, but Carlisle proved to be a man of his word. Edward soon found himself upgrading his phone service to an international plan. Although money was hardly object for him, he didn't see the need to be wasteful.

"So, uh, how's the family business going?" Jake asked as if reading Edward's mind. "Still keeping your head above water?"

It turned out to be a good thing Edward stayed in town. A few days after Carlisle had left, Edward's father revealed that he was retiring earlier than planned from his position as CEO of his consulting firm. He wanted his son to have a more active role in the company and one day take over for him.

"It's not too bad, actually," Edward replied. "It's weird to be sitting on a board where most of the members are more than twice my age, but they've been helpful and polite—to my face, anyway."

Jake chuckled at his friend's wry grin. "I'm sure it doesn't hurt that you own more than half the company stock and could pretty much destroy their asses if they pissed you off."

"Yeah, there's that, too," Edward agreed smugly.

"How's your dad's heart doing?"

"It's responding well to the medication. Also, my mom's making him eat right and exercise, so I think he'll be sticking around for at least a little while longer."

"Good to hear it, man." Jake clapped Edward on the shoulder as he stood. "Well, I'd better head back to the kitchen before Leah has me sleep in the doghouse tonight. Catcha later."

They bumped fists, and then Jake walked away from the table. Edward considered him fondly as he tucked into his plate of food. Like the rest of Carlisle's friends and employees at the pub, Jake had welcomed him into the fold once word of their relationship got out. Edward had worried he was walking into the lion's den when Bella invited him over for drinks one night after closing, but the crew was genuinely interested in getting to know the man their boss was seeing.

Edward only wished he could _see_ his boyfriend in person instead of via Skype.

 _Two more days_ , he reminded himself. Uncle Thomas had passed away three weeks prior, and Carlisle was finally satisfied enough with his aunt's situation to return home. In less than forty-eight hours, Edward would be waiting at the airport with a big smile and an even bigger need to jump into the arms of the person he cared so much about.

Maybe the person he even…loved.

His mind again turned to idea of allowing someone into his still-wounded heart when a deep, familiar voice pierced his thoughts.

"Edward…babe…is that you?"

A gasp slipped past his lips, and he was spinning in his chair before it occurred to him that he'd much rather have played it cool and detached.

"Oh my God, it _is_ you! Shit, babe, it's so good to, um, see you again. I thought maybe, well…I'm just… _fuck…_ how are you?"

Edward stared in stunned silence at the tall, rather flustered man in front of him. As usual, Felix was impeccably dressed in expensive clothes that flattered his muscular form. His dark hair was a different though; it looked like it hadn't been cut since Edward last saw him. The top was long enough to be pulled back into a small ponytail.

"Did you get my messages…the flowers?" Felix continued quietly. Remorse saturated his features. "Dammit, babe, I'm so _so_ sorry about…you know…what I did. It was a terrible, stupid mistake—the biggest one I've ever made. I'd give anything to take it back. I'd give anything if you'd take _me_ back."

Blood pounded in Edward's ears and warmed his face. Felix had begged forgiveness in the numerous voicemails, texts, and emails he'd sent since that night...but hearing the words in person, seeing his former love in person…

Edward reeled from the emotions surging through him. His hands curled into fists on top of his thighs.

"How could you do that me?" he finally managed to ask despite the choking tightness in his throat. "I fucking loved you! And I thought you felt the same way."

"I did…I _do_ love you," Felix insisted. "I'd never been with anyone else before that night, I swear, and—"

"Honeybear, our table's ready…oh! It's Edward!"

A small figure stepped out from behind Felix's bulk. Edward couldn't place the man, but his thin, effeminate figure seemed familiar somehow…

Edward's eyes widened in horror as understanding set in.

"I'm so glad to finally meet you…well, officially, that is," the young man tittered excitedly. "I only caught a glimpse of you that day, but wow—you're even more gorgeous than I remember!"

Edward had no idea how to respond to that.

"Alec, be quiet for a second, okay?" Felix muttered, shame and embarrassment coloring his voice. "I swear, this isn't what it looks like," he tried explaining to Edward. "Alec and I aren't actually together. He knows how much I love you. It's just…"

"We like to fuck," Alec supplied helpfully. "I'm little, so Honeybear can throw me around a lot." He eyed Edward appreciatively and giggled. " _And_ , I'm a power bottom, so we thought maybe you'd want to try topping for a change."

Edward gaped at the two in shock. He wondered if Felix was trying to pull some sick joke on him. Or maybe he was actually asleep and caught up in a stomach-churning nightmare.

Felix turned to Alec and began speaking in urgent tones. Edward, however, was only vaguely aware of their conversation. All he really wanted to do was grab his guitar case and bolt out the door, but his body seemed frozen in place.

"Edward, babe, please listen to me…"

He blinked a few times to clear his vision and realized that Felix was now kneeling in front of him, hands on his legs, Alec nowhere in sight. Repulsed by the other man's touch, Edward pushed his chair backward and shook his head.

"No," he rasped, "I don't want to hear anything you have to say. At all. In fact, get the hell away from me, and don't ever try to contact me again."

Face crumpling with grief, Felix reached out again. "Please, babe, just let me explain…"

"He said he doesn't want to hear it."

Edward's head whipped to the side toward the beautiful face of a certain blond bar owner he hadn't expected to see for another two days.

"Carlisle," he breathed, jumping up from his chair in delight. "You're back early!"

"Surprise, surprise," Carlisle said with a chuckle as he wrapped his arms around Edward's body. "I just couldn't be away from you a second longer."

The rest of the world faded away from Edward's mind when he felt warm lips on the skin just below his ear.

"Best surprise ever," he avowed, shivering from the delicious sensation. "I missed you so much."

Carlisle didn't get the chance to respond; Edward's insistent mouth prevented it. He kissed his boyfriend with six weeks' worth of intensifying emotion. Humming his enthusiastic agreement, Carlisle slid his hands down Edward's sides and grabbed hold of the belt loops on his jeans, using them to pull their hips closer together.

"Oh, my innocent eyes! I'm blinded by the lechery! Jeez, get a room, you two."

Carlisle snickered against Edward's lips, but the owner of the latter didn't find Bella's unexpected interjection at all amusing. He leaned back to gripe at her and was surprised to see Felix still standing a few feet away, looking on with a heartbroken expression.

All Edward felt was irritated impatience.

"Bye, Felix," he said tersely. "Have a nice life."

The other man met his stare for a long moment and then nodded sadly. Shoulders slumping in defeat, he turned and walked away.

"Whew. Glad that gigantic turd is outta here," Bella huffed dramatically. "Okay, you two lovebirds, untangle yourselves for a sec so I can give my boss a wildly inappropriate kiss."

She launched herself up Carlisle's tall frame and smacked her lips against his. Then, smiling broadly, she reached back to whack him hard on the ass.

"Welcome home, Carlisle," she said her grin becoming wry. "I didn't burn your bar down, and no one's trying to sue. You can thank me later. Now go have a really _good_ night."

"And that's why she's my manager," Carlisle commented with a laugh as she headed toward the kitchen. He took Edward's hand and raised an eyebrow. "I also liked her idea about getting a room. Do you want to head upstairs?"

"You gonna carry me again?" Edward purred, already making his way toward the exit.

"Hey, I just got off a really long-ass flight across an ocean. Give an old man a break."

"Like thirty-six is all that old," Edward scoffed.

"It's older than twenty-five, that's for sure."

"Cradle-robber," Edward teased on their way up the stairs to Carlisle's apartment above the bar. "Now let's talk about how you supposedly _got off_ on the plane. I hope it was long enough ago that you're ready for some more action."

"Crazy boy," Carlisle laughed, pinching Edward in the side. "That did _not_ happen, but even if it had, I'm more than ready for you now."

They had just reached the apartment door, and to prove his point, Carlisle took Edward's palm and pressed it against the very hard bulge in his pants. The younger man groaned in anticipation. He tightened his fingers over the material and stroked upward.

"God, that feels good," Carlisle mumbled into Edward's neck. "You're making it difficult for me to think straight right now."

"What's there to think about other than how soon you can finally make me yours?" Edward's hand continued to squeeze and stroke.

"Yes, but it might be a good idea to… _ah_ …don't you think… _oh God_ …just…hold on a minute…" Carlisle reluctantly stilled Edward's hand with his own. "I'm worried about jumping into things right after your confrontation with Felix."

The mention of his ex's name quickly doused Edward's arousal. Rubbing his face in frustration, he allowed Carlisle to lead him inside the apartment.

"You really know how to kill a good mood, don't you?" he muttered.

Carlisle sat on the couch and pulled Edward down across his lap. His hand gently brushed disheveled bronze away from a furrowed forehead.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't helping to keep things, um…tame…between us. But as much I want you, your feelings come first to me. I'll be fine without sex, but I _won't_ be fine if you're hurting."

Edward was quiet for a few moments, and Carlisle didn't press. He waited patiently until a warm gust of air breezed across his face.

"Yeah, seeing him really sucked," Edward admitted. "I was already in a crappy mood because I missed you. Then he shows up and is all like 'oh, babe, I'm so sorry, I want you back'—" Edward scowled at the memory. "Meeting Alec was just the cherry on top of that shit sundae."

"I only caught the end of the conversation, but I'm assuming Alec is Felix's new partner?"

Edward's frown deepened. "Apparently, Felix likes to use Twink Boy as a rag doll. And for some reason, they thought I'd be happy to get in on the action."

"Damn, Edward, I'm sorry," Carlisle murmured, pulling him closer into his chest. "I hate that he did that to you."

"I guess in some ways, it's flattering. I mean, he did say that he made the biggest mistake of his life. He looked really torn up about it, too." Edward sighed and buried his head in Carlisle's shirt, using it to muffle his groan of frustration. "Ugh, I can't believe I actually feel a little bad for the asshole."

"You know it's okay to still care, right?" Carlisle said softly. "You loved and wanted to marry the man. It's natural to feel conflicted after going through what you did. You can't expect your feelings to disappear overnight."

Edward sat up and moved to straddle his boyfriend's legs. He put his hands on Carlisle's shoulders.

"I know," he said earnestly. "But here's the thing: they practically _did_ disappear the moment I met you. What that says about my relationship with Felix, I don't know, but I _am_ sure that you already mean more to me than he ever did. Yes, it hurt to see him tonight, especially with the one he cheated on me for, but that was more because of what he did to me, in general—and _not_ because I'm sad that we're over. In fact, I should probably send the dickweed a thank you note. I'd go through all that a hundred times over if it meant I'd get you in the end."

He took a deep breath and looked into Carlisle's striking blue eyes.

"What I'm really saying is that I love you. I love you so much."

"Oh, Edward," Carlisle whispered. He leaned forward to place a soft, sweet kiss on Edward's lips. "I love you, too. So much." His arms wrapped around the other man and hugged him close. "Come here, you."

They remained pressed together for several minutes, holding on tightly, one heart beating only inches away from the other. Edward was so filled with contentment and happiness that emotion flowed from him in the form of watery eyes. Sniffling quietly, he dabbed them dry on Carlisle's shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong?" the older man asked, moving his head to the side so that he could see Edward's face. "What is it?"

"Nothing's wrong. I just…really love you," Edward answered shyly. "And I'm glad you're back."

Carlisle smiled and touched his lips to Edward's again. He began to trail his mouth to the other man's jaw, but Edward quickly reclaimed the kiss and deepened it. He rose off Carlisle's lap onto his knees and leaned into their connection.

"Damn, I forgot how good you tasted," Edward mumbled as his hands found their way into blond hair that was far too neat and unrumpled for his liking.

He saw it as his duty to remedy that situation.

Carlisle's own hands found a way to occupy themselves. They set off slowly exploring the firm landscape of Edward's chest through the material of his shirt.

Edward groaned when he felt the light brush of thumbs over his nipples.

"Are we done with the talking?" he asked in a strained voice. "If not, we'd better stop this party right now, because I'm a few seconds away from ripping your clothes off."

"Is that so?" Carlisle replied archly.

Before Edward could realize what was happening, he was pushed backward and then scooped up in Carlisle's arms.

"How the hell do you _do_ that?" he asked, dazed. "We're pretty much the same height and body type, but you pick me up like it's nothing." He ran his hand over Carlisle's defined bicep. "These are amazing, but I'd expect them to be twice as big with how easy you move me around."

Carlisle smirked. "It's all in the technique, and I think you'll find I'm skilled in more than that one area."

Edward's dick twitched in his pants at the promise in Carlisle's words. He glanced around to find them in the bedroom. "So this means we're done talking, right?"

Carlisle set him down gently on the mattress and joined him there. Taking Edward's hands in his, he looked deep into the swirling green eyes.

"You said you're feeling okay, and I trust you to tell me if that changes at any point, no matter what's going on. I love you, and I want to do this— _us_ —the right way. We've got plenty of time if you need it."

"I understand," Edward replied seriously. "I want to do things right, too." Then his eyes darkened. "But I don't need more time. What I _need_ is you. Right now."

Green and blue shared a long, intense moment as the atmosphere in the room seemed to thicken and surge around them. Edward wetted his lips, and as if hearing the same unspoken command, they reached out to one another and began tugging frantically at clothing.

"Fuck, I've wanted this for so long," Edward grunted breathlessly. "Those six weeks felt more like six years. Six fucking never-ending years." His trembling fingers fumbled on the buttons to Carlisle's shirt. "Why the hell are you wearing this? Didn't you plan ahead? You had to have known you'd be losing this at some point."

"I definitely hoped but didn't want to take it for granted," Carlisle responded, his breath also coming short. "If anything, this helped remind me that I couldn't just take you on one of the restaurant tables before even saying hello."

"Like I would've had a problem with that. Feel free to do that anytime you want." Edward's voice was momentarily muffled as his Henley and tee shirt were pulled over his head. They landed on the floor an instant later.

"God, look at you." Carlisle stared hungrily at Edward's bare torso. "I'm going to taste every inch of your body," he promised, just before pushing him back roughly on the bed.

"Ditt— _oh!_ _Fuck me_ ," Edward gasped as one of his nipples was sucked into a hot, wet mouth. His hips began to thrust forward in search of desperately needed friction. "Please tell me you're not gonna torture me for hours before I get to have you," he moaned. " _Six_ weeks, Carlisle. Remember that."

"As much fun as that sounds, I'm in just as much pain as you."

Carlisle dipped his lower body so that the bulge in his pants rubbed against Edward's. Locking onto the younger man's mouth, he plunged his tongue inside and kissed him deep. Undeniable desire wracked his being and shuddered over his skin. Dimly, he was aware of his pants being unfastened and pushed down, along with his boxers. It wasn't until a firm hand closed around his cock that he was distracted from the pleasure of Edward's mouth.

"Going in straight for the kill, I see," Carlisle said through gritted teeth, trying to control his reaction. While he had no intention of being gentle and sedate their first time, he wanted to make love to Edward, not fuck him senseless. His boyfriend's evidently talented hand was not helping his resolve.

"If you think that feels good, wait 'til I suck you down my throat," Edward murmured breathily in his ear. He slowly stroked up and down the hardened shaft, reveling in his ability to affect Carlisle so visibly.

"What I think…is that you're a very bad boy…in a very good way."

Chest heaving, Carlisle reared back on his knees, pulling himself from Edward's grasp. He ignored the adorable pout being aimed his way and yanked on the button of Edward's jeans.

"My beautiful impatient boy," he muttered, jerking the pants off his body. "You're lucky I'm a nice person and have decided to give you exactly what you want." He sucked in a breath when he finally set eyes on Edward's thick, swollen cock, its tip glistening with moisture. "But first, I'm getting what _I_ want."

Edward lifted his head off the mattress just in time to see Carlisle's mouth descend and take him in.

"Holy shit," he cried, his back arching stiffly. He hadn't been prepared for the onslaught of overwhelming sensations coursing though him. When he felt the warm wetness of a tongue flick back and forth over the ridged edge of his glans, his fingers clawed the bedspread and his head flopped back. "Oh God, Carlisle, that's so… _fuck_ …good, and if you keep… _oh yeah_ …I'm gonna…I can't…" His words dissolved into incoherent moaning as one slick finger slid into his ass, then two.

He whimpered pitifully when Carlisle removed his mouth from his rock-hard cock and laid a trail of kisses up his abdomen. " _Please_ ," he begged shamelessly.

"Yes," Carlisle murmured against his skin. He worked his way over Edward's chest, up the side of his neck, and across his jaw to his mouth. "I love you, Edward."

Though he had no idea when Carlisle had managed to get ahold of lubricant, Edward tensed eagerly upon hearing the click of tube's cap and the wet sounds of a cock being stroked in preparation. His legs seemed to spread wide of their own accord.

"Relax, sweet boy," Carlisle said, his voice soft and adoring. He kissed Edward once more before sitting up, taking himself in hand, and guiding the head of his cock to Edward's entrance. "Are you ready?"

Edward didn't say a word, instead responding by sliding his ass onto Carlisle's hardness. He took a deep breath and pushed out against the familiar burn, welcoming the man he loved into his body. Carlisle moved forward slowly, expertly, allowing plenty of time for adjustment.

" _Yes_ ," Edward hissed when Carlisle was fully inside. "So good. Even better than I imagined."

"Mm hmm" came Carlisle's tight response. He was finding it difficult to hold back from letting go and pounding into the incredible heat squeezing his cock. Sweat beading on his brow, he drew back and then pushed forward again with as much restraint as he could manage.

He pulled out slowly again. And pushed in. And pulled out.

"More Carlisle," Edward begged. "I need more."

Watching his lover's face closely, Carlisle increased the speed and force of his thrusts until Edward was writhing beneath him. But he was ever careful to keep his own burning passionate in check. It was Edward's first time with someone since Felix stomped on his heart, and Carlisle was determined to make it a good experience. He couldn't stand the thought of causing any more hurt.

And from what he could tell, Edward was feeling far from hurt. His head was thrown back, eyes closed, mouth open, sounds of ecstasy rumbling in his chest. Moaning, he hooked a leg over Carlisle's shoulder, inviting him deeper.

"Let go," he pleaded. "Let me have all of you. I want it so much."

"Edward—"

"I _need_ you, Carlisle. Show me how much you love me." He tightened his muscles around Carlisle's length and used his hands to crash their bodies together.

" _Fuck_ ," Carlisle cried out as he gave into his desire. Hunching over, he grabbed Edward's hips to brace him against the driving power of his thrusts. Fire burned through his body and settled in his groin.

A glance down showed that Edward was in much the same state. His engorged dick slapped against his stomach each time Carlisle slammed into him, his sac was drawn up tight and ready. Edward clenched a fist around his shaft and began to stroke, but Carlisle batted his hand away.

"That's mine," he told him roughly, picking up a relentless rhythm that had Edward cursing nonsensically under his breath.

"So close," Edward panted. "So fucking close."

Carlisle could feel the smooth hardness throbbing against his fingers and palm. It drove him wild with lust.

"That's right, beautiful boy," he gritted out. "Give it to me…I want your cum all over my hand just like I'm about to fill you with mine…"

"Oh _fuck_ , Carlisle… _I'm gonna_ … _gonna…FUCK!"_

Edward's entire body jerked off the bed with the force of his explosion. He shuddered hard, squeezing tight around the cock in his ass and causing a sudden and surprising orgasm to rip through the whole of Carlisle's being. Wave after seemingly endless wave of pleasure—more than he could ever recall experiencing—knocked him senseless and heavy.

At some point after their mutual tremors stopped, Edward's leg slid off his shoulder and flopped down on the mattress. Carlisle took a page out of its notebook and collapsed on his side next to a very tired, very satisfied bronze-haired young man.

The room was silent for several minutes, save for the labored sounds of two oxygen-hungry sets of lungs. They lay together in contentment, basking in the sated joy of each other's love. Carlisle pressed lazy kisses to Edward's temple while the other played with the lightly colored hair dusted over his chest.

It was a quiet, throaty titter that first broke the quiet. Carlisle squeezed Edward's thigh and smiled.

"What's got you chuckling? Care to share?"

"Oh, I was just thinking about how differently this night went from what I expected," Edward replied, his tone playful and light. "At first, I figured I'd be drowning my sorrows alone in my apartment while counting the minutes until you came home. Then when Bella asked me to stand in for the sick performer, I was dreading being surrounded by all the nauseatingly lovey couples while still counting the minutes until you came home." Edward grinned. "This is _so_ much better."

"So, are you trying to tell me that my surprise was a good one?"

"The very best."

Carlisle leaned forward and brushed his lips across Edward's.

"I'm so glad. Happy Valentine's Day, love."

* * *

 **A little late, but at least it's still February!**


End file.
